As we grapple with the unsettling tides of today's educational politics, it's vital to remind ourselves that this is not our first rodeo. The present standoff in Arkansas over the AP African American Studies curriculum isn't an isolated event; it’s a link in a chain of struggles that Black Americans have faced for generations in our pursuit of equitable education. As the curriculum dispute intensifies, Arkansas is now requiring schools to promise they will not include critical race theory in their lesson plans. This conflict between the state government and Arkansas schools was initiated on August 13, a mere two days prior to the commencement of the academic year, when the Arkansas Department of Education notified schools that it would not grant AP credit for African American studies courses.
